Lawn-mower sharpener



Dec. 28, 1926.

H. POWERS LAWN MOWER SHARPENER Filed June 6. 1924 2 Sheets-,Sheet 1 CltPatented Dec. 28, 1926A.

i UNITED STATES HARRY POWERS, OF HUMBOLDT, IOWA.

LAWN-SHOWER SHAB/PENSER.

Application filed June 6, 1924. Serial No. 718,279.

wherein it can be manufactured and marketed at a low cost.

Still a further object is to provide a lawn mower sharpener, wherein thecutter blades of the lawn mower may be sharpened upon an emery wheel,which may be manually operated over the cutting blades of the lawnmower.

Still a further object is to mount the lawn mower without disconnectingany of the parts thereof upon the machine, and connect it to a revolvingshaft so that the blades thereof revolve during the sharpening operation.

Still a further object is to provide an emery wheel for sharpening ofthe lawn mower blades, which emery wheel reciprocates from one end ofthe lawn mower to the other end of the lawn mower for sharpening all Vofthe lawn mower blades.

Still a further object is to provide a sliding support for the lawnmower wherein the lawn mower may be properly positioned upon the machinefor sharpening.

Still a further object is to provide a swinging adjustment plate forproperly lining up of the lawn mower when being sharpened.

vVith ythese and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction. arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved lawn mower Sharpener.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1with the lawn mower wheel shown in section, and operativelyy connectedby a. belt to a drive shaft of the machine.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1showing the control l lev-er for imparting a reciprocating move- Figure6 is a top, plan view of the slid-A mg base upon which the lawn mower issupported.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate generally a number of supporting legs. which are connectedtogether by angle irons 11 at their upper ends wherein there is formed acomplete supporting frame.

The two angle irons 11 are connected together by cross members 12, whichhave upwardly extending arms 13 terminating into central bearings 14 forsupporting the shaft 15. The shaft 15 is driven from a pulley wheel 16connected to a hollow sleeve 17 in which is slidably mounted the shaft15.

The sleeve 17 is provided with a slot 18 through which a pin 19 extends,that is Jfastened to the shaft 15.

From the construction of the Vparts just describedTv it will be seenthat the shaft 15 is capable of sliding or reciprocating movementrelative to the sleeve 17 and rotates therewith.

in ord-er to reciprocate the shaft 15, 1 mount a grooved collar 20 uponthe sleeve 17. The pin 19 extends into the grooved collar 2O forretaining it in position on the sleeve 17.

An annular ring 21 is received within the grooved collar 20 and has a.pair of trunnions 22 thereon, which are extended through a pair of slots23 formed in the outspread arms 24. a

The outspread arms 24 are connected at one end to a lever 25 which is inturn pivotally connected by means of a pivot 2S to a support 27. Thesupport 2'? is mounted upon the frame of the machine and particularlyupon one of the angle iron bars 11.

The other ends of the members 24 are connected to a control bar 28.

From the construction of the parts just described it will be seen thatswinging movement of the control bar 25 will impart a reciprocatingmovement to the shaft 15.

T he slots 23 permit the swinging movement of the control lever 28. y

The outspread arms or members 2e are connected to the lever 25 and thecontrol lever 28, by means of the bolts or rivets 29.

Mounted upon the shaft 15 is an emery y wheel held in position by a pairof clamp- 1l is a sliding base 32, which consists of a cross memberconnected to a pair or' arms 33. The arms 33 are provided with slots 34and notches 35, through which are eX- tended rivets 36.

The rivets 36 are connected to the angle irons 1l and for the connectionbetween the sliding base 32. and the machine trame proper.

in order to move the sliding base 32 relative to the frame ot themachine, l provide a crank arm 37 extending through a lug 88 on thetrame ot' the machine and connected by means ot a screw threadconncction to a lug 39 on the sliding base 32.

A number of collars 4G may be positioned between the crank arm 37 andthc lug 3S.

The crank arm 37 includes a long rod 4l, which is screw threaded on oneof its ends, as at 42, for forming the screw thread connection with thelug' 39.

From the construction oi' the parts just described, it will be seen thatrotation of the cranlr arm 37 will impart a reciprocating or slidingmovement to the base 32.

A swinging base 43 is mounted upon the sliding base 32 and includes aswinging member 44 pivotally connected to the base 32 by the pivot. 45.

On the opposite .end ot the swinging member 44- is a lug` 4G having aninternally screw threaded opening into which is eX- tended a rod 47having screw threads 4S thereon.

rEhe rod 47 extends through a lug 49 mounted upon a supporting arm 50.The supporting arm 50 is in turn mounted upon the arm 33 or" the slidingbase 32.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen thatl am able to impart a swinging movement to the member 44.

rlhe member 44 is also connected to the sliding base 32 by means ot a`bolt 5l cxtending through a slot 52 formed in the member 44, as clearlyshown in Figure 6 ot the, drawings.

'lhe rod 47 has a crank arm or hand engaging portion 53 formed on one otits ends whereby it can be engaged for operating the rod 47.

ln order to mountand support a lawn mower in sharpening position uponthe machine, l provide apair of upwardly extending spaced arms 54,.which are mounted upon the member 44 of the swinging base 43.

The arms 54 have connected to them a cross 55 by means ot the bolts 56.The ends or" the cross bar 55 have hook bolts 57 mounted therein whichare designed to enthe protector bar 58 ot a lawn mower 59.

A pair of saddles 60 are mounted upon the bar 55 and engage one side ofthe protec-tor bar 58.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen thatthe hook bolts 57 and the saddles 60, when properly positioned willsecurely engage the protector bar ot the lawn mower.

The handle 6l of the lawn mower extends between the spaced arms 54, andmay rest upon a bolt 62 which can be selectively mounted in any ot theopenings 63 ot' the arms 54.

rlhe cutting Vblades 64 or" the lawn mower 59 are designed to engage theemery wheel 30, as clearly shown in Figure l ot the drawings.

After the lawn mower 59 is mounted in its support, then the entiresliding base 32 is moved towards the emery wheel until the cuttingblades 64 are in proper position relative thereto 'for sharpening.

The crank arm 53 of the rod 47 is then e5" engaged for swinging the lawnmower and its supporting frame, which is the cross bar 55 as well as thearm 44.

The rod 47, when operated, will impart a fine adjustment to thepositioning orn the lawn mower and will insure proper alinement so thatthe emery wheel may engage each ot the blades 64 throughout their entirelength so that reciprocating as well as rotary movement is imparted tothe wheel 30.

ln this connection, it may be mentioned that the lawn mower blades 64are rotated as well as the emery wheel, and in order to properly connectthe lawn mower to a drive shaft. or the machine itself, l provide thefollowing described mechanism.

Mounted upon the y,supporting legs lO is a longitudinal shatt 65, whichhas a pulley wheel 66 on one ot its ends connected to the sleeve 17 bymeans ot the belt 67.

From the construction of the parts described, it will be seen thatrotation is imparted to the shaft 65 from the sleeve 17.

@n the opposite end of the shaft 65 from the pulley wheel 66 is a pulleywheel connected to a pulley wheel 69 by the belt. 7 O. The pulley wheel69 is mounted upon :i short longitudinal shaft 7l. mounted in swingingframe 72.

rllhe frame 72 includes a pair of arms pivotally mounted upon the shaft65 and are connected together by a cross brace 73. The cross brace 73 inturn has connected to it a link 74.

The link 74 entends through one of the angle irons ll and has acompression coil spring 7 5 mounted thereon, which normally tends totorce the entire swinging trame 72 in the direction indicated by thearrow 76.

The shaft 71 has a pulley wheel 77 mounted thereon between the arms 72,`whereby a belt 78 may extend therearound, which also extends around thedrive wheel 79 ot the lawn mower 59.

illu

It will be noted that the compression spring 75 will cause the belt 78to remain taut due to the fact 4that the frame 72 tends to move in thedirection indicated by the arrow 76.

From the construction of the. parts just described, it will be notedthat the swinging frame 72 provides a means whereby many diiterent sizesof lawn mower wheels may be operatively connected by the belt 78, thediHerenc-es being compensated by the swinging frame 72.

Practical operations.

In the practical operation of my lawn mower Sharpener, the lawn mower isplaced upon the support with the protector bar 56 received in the saddleaortions 60 and thereafter the hook bolt 5 is tightened for securelyretaining the lawn mower in position.

The belt- 78 is then passed around one of the lawn mower wheels 7 9 andthe swinging frame 72, due to the spring 7 5, will cause the belt to betight. The crank arm 37 may then be operated for sliding the entiresliding base 32 towards the emery wheel 30, wherein the blades 64 of thelawn mower 59 will be positioned against the emery wheel.

ln ease the lawn-mower blades are not exactly true and properly alined,then 'the cranlr handle 53 may be rotated for imparting aslidingswinging movement to theI lawn mower, wherein tine adjustment ofit can be accomplished. Power is then applied to the sha-tt l5 and it ismanually reciprocated by swinging movement of the control bar 2S.

rlhe emery wheel is reciprocated back and forth across the blades of thelawn mower, and at the same time, the lawn mower blades are revolved.

The ordinary sharpen-er bar of the lawn mower is loosened during thesharpening operation so as not to interfere with the easy rotation ofthe blades 6ea The spaced arms 54 retain the handle 6l of the lawn mowerin such position as will permit the lawn mower blades to be properlypositioned for sharpening.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement ot thevarious parts of my invention, without departing from the real spiritand purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by myclaims, any modiiied forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivale-nts, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

l claim as my invention:

1. ln a lawn mower Sharpener, a frame.v a lawn mower support andbearings mounted thereon, a sleeve rotatably mounted in said bearings, ashaft slidably mounted in said sleeve and adapted to rotate therewith, alever for imparting sliding movement to Said shaft, and emery wheel onsaid shat't adjacent the lawn mower support adapted to engage the bladesof a lawn mower positioned on said support, and means for impartingrotation to the lawn mower blades of a lawn mower mounted upon saidsupport, said means comprising a shaft operatively connected to saidsleeve and mounted on a pivoted frame and operative connection be tweensaid shaft and a drive wheel of said mower.

2. A machine ot the class described comprising a lawn mower supportswingably mounted en a sliding` frame, a shaft, an emery wheel rotatablymounted on said shaft and capable of being moved longitudinally relativeto the aXis of the reel of a lawn mower secured on said support, a leverfor causing such movement and means for operatively connecting saidshaft to a drive wheel ot said lawn mower, said means comprising apivotally mounted frame supporting a pulley, an operative connectionbetween the shaft and said pulley and a belt connectingl said pulley tosaid drive wheel.

3. ln combination with a sharpening machine having a lawn mower support,an emery wheel and means for moving said emery wheel longitudinally ot'its axis, means 'for rotating a drive wheel ot the lawn mower, saidmeans comprising a shaft operatively driven from the driving maehanismfor said einer y wheel, a frame pivoted on said shaft, a second shaftjournaled on the outer end of said frame and operatively connected tosaid irst shaft, a pulley on said second shaft, a belt connecting saidpulley to a drive wheel oi" said mower and resilient means forresiliently urging said frame in one direction whereby said belt ismaintained taut.

Ll. In a machine ot the class described base, bearings mounted thereon,a lawn mower support swingingly mounted on a sliding frame on said base,a sleeve rotate bly mounted. in said bearings, a shaft slidably mountedin said sleeve and adapted to rotate therewith, a lever tor impartingsliding movement to said shaft, an emery wheel on said shaft adapted tocoact with the blades of a lawn mower clamped to said mower support,means for rotating the blades of said mower, comprising a pivoted frame,a shaft journalled thereon, operative connections between said shaft andsaid sleeve, a pulley on said shaft designed to drive a drive wheel ofsaid mower by means of a belt, and means for applying tension to saidpivoted trame for keeping said belt taut.

HARRY rowers,

